Sen. McCain picks Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for VP

Amen to that.
I think this does give the GOP convention the kick in the @ss it needed. I think whether it ultimately helps Sen. McCain or hurts him in the long run
cannot be answered. Right now, it is a brilliant move on his part. This is the politics in me talking.

In the meantime, allow me to add this recent WP article addressing the apparent surprise by most with McCain's VP pick:

But the most important question Mr. McCain should have asked himself about Ms. Palin was not whether she could help him win the presidency. It was
whether she is qualified and prepared to serve as president should anything prevent him from doing so. This would have been true for any presidential
nominee, and it was especially crucial that Mr. McCain -- who turns 72 today -- get this choice right. If he is elected, he will be the oldest man
ever to serve a first term in the White House.

In this regard, count us among the puzzled and the skeptical. Not long ago, no less a Republican strategist than Karl Rove belittled Virginia Gov. Tim
Kaine as a potential running mate for Barack Obama, noting that picking him would appear "intensely political" because Mr. Kaine's experience
consisted of only three years as governor preceded by the mayoralty of Richmond, which Mr. Rove called "not a big town."

Using Mr. Rove's criteria, Ms. Palin would not fare well. Her executive experience consists of less than two years as governor of her sparsely
populated state, plus six years as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (pop. 8,471). Absorbed in Alaska's unique energy and natural resource issues, she has
barely been heard from in the broader national debates over economic policy and health care. Above all, she has no record on foreign policy and
national security -- including terrorism, which Mr. McCain posits as the top challenge facing America and the world. Once the buzz over Ms. Palin's
nomination dies down, the hard questions about her will begin. The answers will reflect on her qualifications -- and on Mr. McCain's judgment as
well.

There is an interesting take by Ruth Marcus at SeattlePI on how she sees this as a transparent and insulting pick on behalf of Hillary women
supporters.

How dumb does McCain think women are?

Palin's selection, though, feels like a disappointing retreat to the identity politics of 1984, when Geraldine Ferraro was picked for the Democratic
ticket solely because Walter Mondale wanted a woman. On Friday, Ferraro was on Fox News, talking about how "people are looking for a historic
campaign," and suggesting that the choice of Palin "might do it."

So women "who are disaffected by how Hillary was treated by the media, by how she was treated by the Obama campaign," as Ferraro sees it, are going
to flock to McCain simply because he panders to them with Palin?

Because Palin, who just a short time ago was describing Clinton's "whine," lauded her Friday for showing "such determination and grace"? Because,
as Palin said, "it turns out the women of American aren't finished yet and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all"?

How dumb do they think women are? So dumb that former Clinton supporters would defect to McCain-Palin, even though the candidates' agendas --
including their agendas on issues of particular importance to women -- could not be more different?

In the estimation of this woman, anyway, McCain's standing went down, not up, with this cynical choice. seattlepi

Apparently, Mitt Romney is upset about not being the choice (He'll get over it). I have been told growing up with that ancient cliche: Don't count
your chickens until they hatch.
As I write this, Gov. Palin's choice will lose the surprise factor, and the race will go on. This is the one thing I don't think they thought about
thoroughly.

As I listened to the pundits all night long, it seemed there were a few things I caught: Sen. Obama has sealed in the Hillary supporters who were
wavering. The ones who will never vote for him will go for Sen. McCain. Republicans are overestimating the voting gains by this choice.

On one of the news shows before Sen. McCain made a choice, one of the loudest groups of women who were upset with Sen. Obama said they would vote for
Sen. McCain as long as his running mate choice was not right wing. They now have a quandary on their hands as he did pick a woman, but she is as
conservative as they get.

Apparently, Mitt Romney is upset about not being the choice (He'll get over it). As I have been told growing up with that ancient cliche: Don't
count your chickens until they hatch.
As I write this, Gov. Palin's choice will lose the surprise factor, and the race will go on. This is the one thing I don't think they thought about
thoroughly.

I think you are right. Taking into account Romney's reaction it is becoming more apparent that the decision to pick Palin was a reactionary last
minute switch.

The one thing I think will come out over the next few weeks is that in fact, though her ultra conservative stances may please the far right
demographic in the GOP, it has little or nothing to bear with the presidency. The only way her stances hold any weight is in a congressional
procedural deadlock, which is almost unheard of. She could be for "guns for toddlers to execute the mentally challenged on death row" and it
matters not.

On a funny side note, I caught a couple of glimpses of Mrs. McCain, Yikes.
I don't think she's too crazy about the new lady in the henhouse.

Sen. McCain had better hope family values does not come up. Divorcing his first wife after she got into an accident and marrying a rich trophy wife
will not help him. This could backfire on that account as I think that is a reason many conservatives don't like him.

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